Apocalyptic literature course promises doom and gloom at Okanagan College

Jenna Hickman

A new course at the Penticton Okanagan College campus will focus on apocalyptic scenarios.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED

July 19, 2017 - 9:30 AM

PENTICTON - Okanagan College is offering a unique English course that will focus on the popularity of apocalyptic scenairos in today's entertainment media.

The course will be taught at Okanagan College’s Penticton campus this fall, according to a media release.

Okanagan College English professor Jeremy Beaulne.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Okanagan College

“I have always loved to imagine end-of-the-world scenarios, especially zombies,” professor Jeremy Beaulne says in the release. “This course will look into different types of apocalyspses including alien and technological invasions, zombies, ecological decimation and other doomsday scenarios.”

Beaulne came up with the idea for the course when he found out he was teaching English 231: Studies in Popular Narrative in September.

“Recently, I’ve seen many first year English classes talk about technology and the thought of technology potentially surpassing humans,” he says. “I was interested to see how this cataclysmic thought manifested in popular media and quickly saw it’s something people are obsessed with.”

Although Beaulne’s course will look at materials spanning over two centuries — from 19th century poetry to today — students taking the course will have the opportunity to use whatever text they wish.

“Students will have the chance to bring their favourite - or new - apocalyptic literature and complete an assignment based on their chosen text,” he says.

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